Author(s)

Xiang Li, and Juan Liu

Corresponding Author

Juan Liu

Abstract

An updated Vocabulary Levels Test and an updated Word Associates Test are conducted to measure the breadth and depth of vocabulary Knowledge of Chinese EFL learners from middle school to college respectively in this research. The ANOVA analyses of the test results show that Chinese learners’ breadth knowledge at any learning stage is insufficient and does not meet the requirements of corresponding English teaching syllabus although there is significant development from junior middle school to senior middle school to college. Compared to breadth knowledge, Chinese learners perform worse in the test of depth of vocabulary knowledge and there is little correlation between breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge.

Keywords

Breadth of vocabulary knowledge, Depth of vocabulary knowledge, Correlation, Chinese learners